International Peace Park Expeditions

International Peace Park Expeditions utilizes experiential peacebuilding, field-based academic programs, and professional field traings situated in International Peace Parks to develop leadership and collaboration, and apply theory and practice within a cross-discipline network of students, professors and practitioners.

We have a unique curriculum that combines academic rigor with experiential learning in the context of an International Peace Park. Our programs bring together environmentally friendly operating values with sustainable tourism practices; we throw in a dash of rugged adventure trekking, remote border crossing, and local organic gastronomic delights and build it all on top of an intimate cross-cultural experience within the framework of understanding about peace parks and their growing role in international diplomacy.

...full-service, all-inclusive, educational adventure expeditions into International Peace Parks around the world.

We not only want to provide you with a once in a lifetime memorable learning experience but we also want to make sure we have a positive impact on the unique and beautiful ecosystem, help to promote and support the peace park itself and the amazingly hearty and hospitable people who live there and openly share their lives with us. Our for profit Academic Field Courses and Professional Field Trainings support our non-profit Experiential Peacebuilding Expeditions, working with young people impacted by conflict from the different International Peace Park countries.

Experiential Peacebuilding

International Peace Park Expeditions has a non-profit arm that utilizes funding from our for-profit expeditions, to run "Experiential Peacebuilding Programs" with young people from the countries in the Peace Park who have been impacted by conflict. These customized peacebuilding programs integrate and enhance the natural peace building potential that exists in outdoor experiential learning - both in single day excursions and extended wilderness expeditions.

The objective is to provide a rich, unique, peacebuilding experience which can develop the bonds, skills and compassion of emerging young leaders, so they can serve as catalysts for peaceful change in their communities. OUR NON-PROFIT APPROACH >

See this link to Todd Walters entry "Experiential Peacebuilding" in the Oxford International Encyclopedia of Peace - 2009.

Academic Field Courses

Conservation Beyond Borders: A field experience in the Balkans exploring the prospects of "peace parks"

June 7-26, 2010
August 2-21, 2010

Through these three-week accredited academic courses, students will be provided with a unique learning opportunity, a cross-cultural experience, an introduction to their fields, and an overview of the dynamics involved in creating and managing an International Peace Park. The syllabus has been reviewed by experts in the field and the lead professor is Saleem Ali - the Associate Dean at University of Vermont’s Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. Students are challenged with academic rigor through readings, journal entries, and a group project designed within an innovative experiential learning curriculum. Additionally, students will participate in meaningful cross-cultural interactions while cross-border trekking in remote alpine mountain landscapes.

Students will hear guest lectures from experts, practitioners and professionals within diverse fields - addressing issues of sustainable forestry management, biodiversity surveys, eco-tourism plans, development and infrastructure planning, environmental conservation, water resource management, peacebuilding initiatives, and cross-border projects.

At the culmination of the course, students will have a strong understanding of the multi-disciplinary issues that converge in International Peace Parks and a working recognition of the interplay between local communities, broader culture, international development, environmental conservation and peacebuilding initiatives. Students will have an opportunity to build a professional network before graduation, making connections in government agencies, international development agencies, as well as international, national, and localNGO’s working in related fields.

COURSE SECTIONS:

Peace Parks: Definition, Objectives, Historical Evolution of the concept.

Traditional Village Life, Cross Cultural Homestays, Village tour – water powered corn mill, waterfalls, archeological site, traditional water management, sustainable farming and cooking.

Balkans Peace Park Summer School – visit with students, group discussion with volunteers, lecture from Program Director.

Political History of the Balkans Region and Evolution of the Balkans Peace Park

Peace Parks: A Tool for International Diplomacy, Environmental Conservation & Sustainable Development. Examining water resource sharing initiatives and their lessons.

Peace Park Management Challenges and Best Practices: Conservation vs Development and Top-down approach vs Grassroots – is there a balance point? Where?

Linking Theory, Policy and Practice - Sustainable Development Projects, Eco-tourism initiatives, Environmental Education, Coordinating Legal Frameworks and their implementation

“Peak Moments: Experiential Peacebuilding” – on TriBorder Peak.

Professional Field Training

This week-long field training for professionals utilizes a multi-disciplinary, collaborative learning approach, maximizing the potential of outdoor experiential learning opportunities – providing participants with a distinct knowledge sharing and networking program. Participants will share their expertise in international relations, international development, sustainable development, biology, botany, ecology, natural resource management, and peace studies to foster a common understanding from multiple perspectives.

In conjunction with unique learning opportunities, these programs will create a community based network of professors, practitioners, and professionals. As alumni of the field training programs, professionals can rely on each other for support and collaboration in the further development of their careers and between their organizations. In this way, we will create the linkages that are currently nonexistent between institutions, across disciplines, and among professionals - helping mitigate the “silo effect” of isolated subject matter experts.

Upon completion of the course, participants will have a strong understanding of the multi-disciplinary issues which converge in International Peace Parks and will have experienced both the local culture, and remote and beautiful terrain, and become a part of a vibrant and valuable network of peers.